The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1887-02-11
OLD CHOP-HOUsEs.
Where Statesmen and Scholars Discusse
Questions of the Day Over a Hot Plate.

Where Statesmen and Scholars Discussed
Questions of the Day over Hot Plate.
Among other old landmarks of New
York that are gradually disappearing
may be mentioned the gastronomic in
stitutions known as English chop
houses, wherein the solid gentlemen of
half a century ago were found of regal
ing themselves over enormous mutton
chops garnished. with large kidneys
and supplemented with pint tankards
of fOaming stout or ale. The few
houses of this stamp which still remain,
and which boast of serving a chop in
the good old style, are most of them
downtown, and these by degrees, are
losing their interesting quaintness.
Handsome mahogany drinking bars and
expensive oil paintings replace the
sociable oak tables and old-fashioned
sporting pictures which were the former
characteristics of such establishments
1t is not meant to insinuate that the
chops and kidneys have degenerated as
to size or quality, but simply that fewer
people now find time to take their ease
and enjoy their quiet meal than was the
case some years ago. The bar is to-day
more generally patrOnized than the
table of old.
A few of the most noted of these
downtown hOstelries, however, retain
much of the old-time simplicity. A
strange feature in connection with these
establishments is that, although all Of
them are supervised by Englishmen,
they are not much frequented by the
English in this city.
The oldest chOp-hOuse now in the city
is situated below Canal street. It was
opened in 1888, and the exterior of the
house, an Old-fashioned two-story build
ing, has not been much altered, but the
interior has undergone complete
metamorphosis since the days when the
elder Wallack, the genial Forrest and
many other bright lights quaffed their
cOnvivial bowls at the round table.
A very similar building, but not 50
large, which is said to be sixty years
old, is hid away a few blocks further
south. Thirty years ago it was
occupied by one Gassen, who was a
Delmonico of that period. For the
last twenty years it has been chop
house, and its coy parlor still enter
tains many of the stars of the day.
Here very frequently of an evening
may be found a coterie of lawyers,
! journalists and others who appreciate
a good story. Ancient history, which
in slang parlance is called "chestnuts, -
would be coldly welcomed in this
quarter. The proprietor remarked that
whenever DiXey heard an original
story uptown he would run down and
retail it, but he seldom palmed it of
| successfully.
| One of the streets just below Fulton
/ boasts of a number of chop-hOuses.
/ The most ancient of them dates from
| 1856, and the owner. a typical old
/ Englishman of the old school, whose
rubicund face is adorned with gray
! side-whiskers, is proud when he speaks
of his old-time customers. Among the
most notable was the late Samuel j.
/ Tilden, who at one time, according to
/ the proprietor. "never missed a day
( without coming here for a chop, and
/ when he was Governor very often ii
/ happened that he would be here twice
/ a week 1t became like a home to him,
I anu lAt slENtb - lpOhtt AshBpF WHICH,
! seated in my old-fashioned parlOr. -
| At this day many well-known bankers
/ and politicians are to be seen al
luncheon, eating and drinking precisely
as fnanciers and statesmen ate and
drank twenty years ago.
But few doors from this old chop
house is another, established eighteen
years ago. Perhaps the most notable
person of whom this house can boast is
the late Prof. Darling, who was a daily
attendant from the day of its opening
until shortly before his death. He is
said to have been full Of anecdotes, and
particularly pleased when he could get
party around his table who would
listen while he quoted Byron, Scott OF
Burns.-N. y Herald